Student Spotlight: Annie Pearce

My full name is Antoinette Marie Pearce, but my family calls me Annie, and my team and everyone at APER (athletic department) calls me AP.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in San Jose, CA, in the South Bay. San Jose is about 1 hour South of Oakland, but now I live in a very small town in the Central Coast of California, Hollister, CA, which is an agricultural area about 2 1/2 hours South of Oakland.

What is one of your favorite places to go/favorite things to do in your hometown?

Pinnacles National Park is 30 miles south of Hollister. The area is geologically fascinating and is a rehabilitation/release area for California Condors (North America's largest bird, with a wingspan of 9-12 feet). Condors are hovering around endangered/threatened, and the Pinnacles provides a great home near the coast, while simultaneously providing solitude while the population is recovering. I visit the park frequently with my mom, Tina.

How long have you been competing in your sport?

Spring 2019 is my second year of competing in the sport of rowing.

Who/What got you into your sport?

Coach Sara Nevin is the biggest influence on me competing and continuing with the sport. Initially, however, I was drawn to the sport for my desire to be in athletics at Mills, as I was involved in sports at my previous institution before I transferred into Mills.

What is your favorite thing about your sport?

The secret to rowing is to go hard, and going hard is my favorite.

On a free Saturday with no homework or plans, what would your ideal day look like?

My ideal Saturday would be sleeping in and waking up with no alarm, eating breakfast and taking my beautiful dog, Maggie, on a walk or to play fetch in the off-leash area. After that I would probably crawl into bed for a nap! I love napping! Other activities that might fall into a great weekend would be a trip to Lake Merritt, having lunch with my partner, or maybe another nap.

What's something in the Bay Area that you really want to visit or see?

I have never been to Marin County, and I've heard it's beautiful. I would love to hike there in the Tiburon area.

What is your favorite thing about Mills?

My favorite thing about Mills is the close-knit Environmental Science Department. We get along well, and the students and professor(s) are so passionate.

What is your favorite color?

My favorite color is pastel yellow.

What is your favorite food/drink?

You can typically win my heart with some vegan street tacos on corn tortillas, or a glass of GT's Kombucha.

What song do you have on repeat right now?

I am constantly playing the Dirty Heads, but a forever favorite is Shania Twain.

Is there anything that you are doing outside of athletics that you are super passionate about?

I am very passionate about geology and research. I want to attend graduate school after graduation and be able to participate in a graduate research team.

What is your favorite class this semester and why?

My favorite class this semester (Spring 2019) is Geochemistry with Dr. Kristina Faul. Geology (although not necessarily geochemistry) is something I want to study in graduate school, so this class is great in giving me some foundational knowledge of geological processes.